Realism and Time Symmetry in Quantum Mechanics

Abstract

We describe a gedanken experiment with an interferometer in the case of pre- and postselection in two different time symmetric ways: We apply the ABL formalism and the de Broglie--Bohm model. Interpreting these descriptions ontologically, we get two very different concepts of reality. Finally, we discuss some problems implied by these concepts.

14 pages, LaTeX, one section (sec. 4) added, to be published in Phys. Lett. A

References in corpus (4)

• Quantum Equilibrium and the Origin of Absolute Uncertainty
• On a Time Symmetric Formulation of Quantum Mechanics
• A Review of the Decoherent Histories Approach to Quantum Mechanics
• Lorentz-Invariant "Elements of Reality" and the Question of Joint Measurability of Commuting Observables

Cited by in corpus (5)

• Sequential weak measurement
• Time-symmetric boundary conditions and quantum foundations
• Objective probabilities, quantum counterfactuals, and the ABL rule
• Action Duality: A Constructive Principle for Quantum Foundations
• Uncoupling Which-Way Information from Interference: A Novel Interference Experiment using a Super-Focused Laser Beam